Роберт Балабан: Американский актер и режиссер с русскими корнями

American actor (born 1945)

Robert Elmer Balaban (born August 16, 1945) is an American actor, director, producer and writer. Aside from his acting career, Balaban has directed three feature films, in addition to numerous television episodes and films, and was one of the producers nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture for Gosford Park (2001), in which he also appeared. He is also an author of children's novels. Balaban is most known for his appearances in the Christopher Guest comedies Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), and For Your Consideration (2006) and in the Wes Anderson films Moonrise Kingdom (2012), The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), Isle of Dogs (2018) and The French Dispatch (2021). Balaban's other film roles include the drama Midnight Cowboy (1969); the science fiction films Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), Altered States (1980), 2010 (1984), the comedy Deconstructing Harry (1997), and the historical drama Capote (2005).

Balaban was born to a Jewish family on August 16, 1945, in Chicago, the son of Eleanor (née Pottasch) and Elmer Balaban, who owned several movie theatres and later was a pioneer in cable television. His mother acted under the name Eleanor Barry. His paternal grandparents emigrated from Russia to Chicago, while his mother's family was from Germany, Russia, and Romania. Balaban's father, Elmer, and uncle, Harry, founded the H & E Balaban Corporation in Chicago, which operated its own movie palaces, including the Esquire Theatre in Chicago. They later owned a powerful group of television stations and cable television franchises. His uncle Barney Balaban was president of Paramount Pictures for nearly 30 years from 1936 to 1964. His maternal grandmother's second husband, Sam Katz, was a vice president at Metro Goldwyn Mayer beginning in 1936. Sam had been an early partner of Bob's uncles Abe, Barney, John, and Max in forming Balaban and Katz. Sam served as president of the Publix theatre division of Paramount Pictures. Balaban began his college career at Colgate University where he joined Phi Kappa Tau fraternity and then transferred to New York University. He studied acting at HB Studio under Uta Hagen.

Balaban's first notable role was on stage; he created the role of Linus in the original off Broadway production of You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown in 1967. One of his earliest appearances in film was in Midnight Cowboy (1969). In the 1970s, he appeared as Grady Garrett on an episode of Room 222, Orr in Catch 22, Elliot the Organizer in The Strawberry Statement, and the interpreter David Laughlin in the 1977 Steven Spielberg science fiction film Close Encounters of the Third Kind. In 1979, he received a Tony Award nomination for his role in The Inspector General. During the 1980s he appeared in films including Ken Russell's Altered States (1980) and the 1984 2001: A Space Odyssey sequel 2010 (as Dr. Chandra, the creator of HAL 9000). He also directed the Randy Quaid horror comedy film Parents, and the Armin Mueller Stahl drama film The Last Good Time (1994). Balaban had supporting roles in films such as Absence of Malice, Bob Roberts, Deconstructing Harry, Ghost World, The Majestic, Lady in the Water, and Christopher Guest's Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, and For Your Consideration. Balaban appeared on television in Miami Vice as reporter Ira Stone. In the 1990s, he had a recurring role on the fourth season of Seinfeld as Russell Dalrymple, the fictional president of NBC. He played Warren Littlefield, a real world NBC executive, in The Late Shift, a 1996 television movie about the battle between Jay Leno and David Letterman for NBC's The Tonight Show. In 1999, Balaban made a guest appearance in the sitcom Friends as Phoebe Buffay's father Frank in "The One with Joey's Bag". Balaban co produced Gosford Park (2001), for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. He also appeared in the movie as Morris Weissman, a Hollywood producer. In 2006, he directed the film Bernard and Doris, starring Susan Sarandon. The following year, he made a guest appearance in an episode of Entourage as a doctor known for writing prescriptions for medical marijuana. Balaban directed the 2009 biopic Georgia O'Keeffe, starring Joan Allen and Jeremy Irons. In 2010, he appeared as Judge Clayton Horn, the real life judge who presided over the obscenity trial of Lawrence Ferlinghetti and City Lights Bookstore in the movie Howl. Alongside Morgan Freeman and John Lithgow, Balaban appeared onstage in September 2011 as Judge Vaughn Walker in the Broadway debut of the play, 8, which depicts the federal trial that overturned California's Prop 8 ban on same sex marriage. The production was held at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre to raise money for the American Foundation for Equal Rights. In 2012, Balaban directed four episodes of the Showtime series Nurse Jackie, and voiced the audiobook version of Warren Littlefield's autobiography, Top of the Rock: Inside the Rise and Fall of Must See TV. Balaban performed in the short radio play Milton Bradley by Peter Sagal in January 2016, for Playing on Air, a non profit organization that "records short plays [for public radio and podcast] written by top playwrights and performed by outstanding actors." In early 2021, Balaban provided the voice of the narrator in The Simpsons episode "The Dad Feelings Limited".

Balaban wrote a series of six children's novels featuring a bionic dog named McGrowl. He also co authored Spielberg, Truffaut & Me: An Actor's Diary with Steven Spielberg and The Creature from the Seventh Grade: Sink or Swim (Creature from the Seventh Grade, #2) which Andy Rash illustrated. He also wrote the book, Close Encounters of the Third Kind Diary.

Balaban is married to Lynn Grossman; they have two daughters. He resides on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

Year Title Role Notes 1969 Midnight Cowboy The Young Student – New York 1969 Me, Natalie Morris 1970 The Strawberry Statement Elliot 1970 Catch 22 Capt. Orr 1971 Making It Wilkie 1974 Bank Shot Victor Karp credited as Robert Balaban 1975 Report to the Commissioner Joey Egan credited as Robert Balaban 1977 Close Encounters of the Third Kind David Laughlin 1978 Girlfriends Martin 1980 Altered States Arthur Rosenberg 1981 Prince of the City Santimassino 1981 Absence of Malice Elliott Rosen 1981 Whose Life Is It Anyway? Carter Hill 19842010: The Year We Make Contact Dr. Chandra 1987 End of the Line Warren Gerber 1989 Dead Bang Elliot Webly 1990Alice Sid Moscowitz 1991 Little Man Tate Quizmaster Uncredited 1992 Bob Roberts Michael Janes 1993 Amos & Andrew Dr. R. A. 'Roy' Fink 1993 For Love or Money Ed Drinkwater 1994 Greedy Edward "Eddie" Ault 1994 City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold Dr. Jeffrey Sanborn Uncredited 1995 Pie in the Sky Paul Entamen 1996 Waiting for Guffman Lloyd Miller 1996 Conversation with the Beast Webster 1997 Clockwatchers Milton Lasky 1997 Deconstructing Harry Richard 1999 Cradle Will Rock Harry Hopkins 1999 Jakob the Liar Kowalsky 1999 Three to Tango Decker 2000 Best in Show Dr. Theodore W. Millbank, III 2001 The Mexican Bernie Nayman 2001 Ghost World Mr. Coleslaw 2001 Gosford Park Morris Weissman Also producer/writer 2001 The Majestic Elvin Clyde 2002 The Tuxedo Winton Chalmers Uncredited 2003 A Mighty Wind Jonathan Steinbloom 2004 Marie and Bruce Roger 2005 Capote William Shawn 2005 Trust the Man Tobey's Therapist Uncredited 2006 Lady in the Water Harry Farber 2006 For Your Consideration Philip Koontz 2007 Dedication Arthur Planck 2007 License to Wed Jewelry Store Clerk Uncredited 2007 No Reservations Therapist 2009 Rage Mr. White 2010 Howl Judge Clayton Horn 2011 Thin Ice Leonard Dahl 2011 A Monster in Paris Inspector Pâté Voice only 2012 Moonrise Kingdom Narrator 2012 Girl Most Likely Mr. Duncan 2013 Fading Gigolo Sol 2014 The Monuments Men Pvt. Preston Savitz 2014 The Grand Budapest Hotel M. Martin 2015 Hitchcock/Truffaut Narrator 2016 Mascots Sol Lumpkin 2016 I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House Mr. Waxcap 2018 Isle of Dogs King Voice only 2018 An L. A. Minute Shelly 2021 The French Dispatch Uncle Nick 2023 80 for Brady Mark 2023 Asteroid City Larkings Executive

Year Title Role Notes 1965 Hank Harvey Episode: "Will The Real Harvey Wheatley Please Stand Up?" 1969 Room 222 Grady Garrett Episode: "Father & Sons" 1971–1972 The Mod Squad Walter / Tony 2 episodes 1971 Love, American Style Nick Episode: "Love and the Fuzz" 1976 Maude Ambrose Riley Episode: "Maude's Ex Convict" 1985–1986 Miami Vice Ira Stone 2 episodes 1987 Amazing Stories Jo Jo Gillespie Episode: "Gershwin's Trunk" 1990 The Face of Fear Ira Preduski Television movie 1992–1993 Seinfeld Russell Dalrymple 5 episodes 1995 Legend Harry Parver 2 episodes 1996 The Late Shift Warren Littlefield Television movie 1998 Friends Frank Buffay Sr. Episode: "The One with Joey's Bag" 1999 Swing Vote Justice Eli MacCorckle Television movie 1999 Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist Himself (voice) Episode: "Expert Witness" 2000 The West Wing Ted Marcus Episode: "20 Hours in L. A." 2000 Now and Again Frederick Lizzard Episode: "Lizzard's Tale" 2002 The Education of Max Bickford Dr. Lowell Sherman Episode: "I Never Schlunged My Father" 2006 Tom Goes to the Mayor Walt Pickle (voice) Episode: "The Layover" 2007 Entourage Doctor Episode: "The Dream Team" 2008 Recount Ben Ginsberg Television movie 2011 Web Therapy Ted Mitchell Episode: "Shrink Rap" 2011–2012 The Good Wife Gordon Higgs 2 episodes 2013 Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight Lawyer Television movie 2013 Family Tree Melvin Schmelff / Tumbleweed Tim Episode: "Cowboys" 2013–2015 Girls Mr. Rice 3 episodes 2014 Alpha House Senator Elliot Robeson 2 episodes 2015–2019 Broad City Arthur Wexler 3 episodes 2015 Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Himself (as mascot of the ATF) Episode: "Paid Family Leave" 2015 Show Me a Hero Judge Leonard Burke Sand 4 episodes 2016 Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Crazy Walter Episode: "Auto Lending" 2016 Pitch Frank Reid 3 episodes 2016 Graves Secretary Burns Episode: "Nothing Can Come From Nothing" 2017 Wormwood Dr. Harold A. Abramson 4 episodes 2018–2020 Condor Reuel Abbott Main cast, 20 episodes 2018 Animals Himself (voice) 2 episodes 2019 The Politician Keaton Hobart Main role 2021 The Simpsons Narrator (voice) Episode: "The Dad Feelings Limited" 2021 Summer Camp Island Gerald (voice) Episode: "Hark the Gerald Sings" 2021 The Chair Elliot Rentz6 episodes 2021 The Harper House Buck Mastiff / Frederick (voice) Episode: "Destination Funeral/Making the Lie Real" 2022 Space Force Ron (voice) Episode: "Mad (Buff) Confidence" TBA Severance Season 2

Year Title Role Venue Ref.1967 You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown Linus van Pelt Theatre 80, Off Broadway 1968 Plaza Suite Borden Eisler/Bellhop Plymouth Theatre, Broadway 1977 Some of My Best Friends Lawrence Mumford Longacre Theatre, Broadway 1978 The Inspector General Óssip Circle in the Square Theatre, Broadway 1988 Speed the Plow Charlie Fox Royale Theatre, Broadway 2011 8 Judge Vaughn Walker Eugene O'Neill Theatre, Broadway 2014 A Delicate Balance Henry John Golden Theatre, Broadway